Corn-planter



(Nb Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1.

G. R.. HAYES.

CORN PLANTBR. I No. 342,601. lPatent?,d/lViIafyyV25, 1886.

\ S in i v a 1(- (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. G.R.HAYES.

GURN PLANTBR.

Patented May 25,- 1886.

N. PETERS, Phnlmumognphsr. wnshivg mmmmm C,

3 sheets-sheet 3.

Patented May 25, 1886.

G. R. HAYES.

CORN PLANTER.

(No Model.)

FFlCE@ GEORGE R. HAYES, OF CAMhlDGE, MARYLAND.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342,601, dated May 25,1886.

Application filed August 18, 1885.

To` all whom, it may concern:

. Be it known that I, GEORGE R. HAYES, a citizen ofthe United States,and a resident of Cambridge, in the county of Dorchester and State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCorn-Planters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine,reference being had to the accompanying drawings', which form a part cfthis specication.

My invention relates to corn-planters; and it has for its object theproduction of a cornplanter which shall possess superior advantages inthe points of simplicity of construction, durability, and generalefficiency in operation. To these ends my invention consists in theimproved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which willbe hereinafter fully described, and pointed out inthe claims.

Referring to the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved cornplanter, showing the cultivator attachments connectedthereto in their operative positions. Fig. 2 is atop view ofthecorn-planter. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line .t x,Fig.`2, of the drawings. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken onlineyy, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line e e,Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a perspective detail usual marking arms orlingers, B B', to adapt the marker to operate on either side of theplanter. The rearwardlyprojecting ends of the side-pieces of the frame Aare provided with the brackets A, which serve to support and hold in itsadjusted position the reversible marker B.

Serial No. 174,725. (No model.)

Within convenient reach from the drivers seat is pivotaliy secured ahand-lever, C, having secured to its side aspringcatch,G, adapted toengage with the teeth of a segment, C2, by which arrangement the saidlever is secured in its adjusted position. This lever is connected,above its pivotal point, by means of a link. C, to a transverse shaft,D, the ends of which are journaled in the side pieces of the main frame,and which is formed with the arms or projections D D, so arranged thatwhen the hand-lever is drawn back by the operator the said arms willcome in contact with and depress the forward ends oftwo centrallypivotedlevers, D2, secured to the side pieces of the main frame, as shown, theforward ends of the said levers extending beneath the marker B, asshown, so that when their rear ends are depressed, as just described,the marker will be lifted from contactwith the ground at its outeroperative end, so as to permit ofthe machine being turned at the end ofthe row.

The marker B is of such a length that the distance from its inner end(which is pivoted in line with the center of the machine) to its outeroperative endsvis one and one-half times the length of the space betweenthe drillteeth-that is to say, the space between the rows being fourfeet,the distance from the centralline ofthe machine to the end ofthemarker will be six feet, or the length ofa row and a half, so that whenthe machine is turned at the end of a row the driver straddles the markmade by the marker-that is to say, brings the center of the machinedirectly over the said mark.

The machineis provided with the b road tongue A, of the form shown,which serves to prevent the horses from walking on the row.

E E indicate the drive-wheels, which are made with a circumference oftwelve feet, the hills being planted four feet apart, so that in onerevolution ofthe wheels the seed-slides are opened three times throughthe intervening mechanism, which will be hereinafter described.

The inner face of yone of the wheels E is formed with the annular seriesof inwardlyprojecting teeth E', adapted to engage with the teeth of apinion, F', journaled loosely upon IOO a transverse shaft, G, (see Fig.2,) turning in suitable bearings, a, on the lower side of the frame A,immediately to the rear of the axle of the same. The teeth E' are madeof a considerable length and slender in proportion, for the purposewhich will be hereinafter set fort-h. The pinion F is provided with asquare central aperture, F', to adapt it to tit and be slid upon thesquared end of the shaft G when it is desired to throw the machine outof gear. when turning corners, Snc., this being effected by formi-ng thesaid pinion on itsinner side with the collar or hub F", having theannular groove F, in which fits loosely the lower curved end of a lever,H, the other end of which is pivotally connected to one arm of abell-crank, H', the other arm of which is connected by means of a link,H", to the hand-leverG, so that when the said lever is drawn back at theend of a row, to raise the marker B, as before described, the samemovement will operate, through the intervening mechanism just described,to disengage the pinion F from the teeth E' of the wheel E, a spring, f,serving to hold the pinion normally in its operative position.

The seed-boxesl I are mounted immediately back of and extending somewhatover the axle of the main frame, on each side of the machine, beingsupported by the adjustable brackets J J, which may be adjustedlaterally, so as to increase or lessen the distance between theseed-boxes, and consequently the distance between the drill-teeth,though I prefer to have the drill-teeth arranged four feet apart. Thelower portion of each seed-box is formed with the neck l, in the lowerportion of which revolves a feeddisk, K, mounted" adjustably upon theshaft G, the said disk or wheel having formed in its periphery a seedcup or opening, K', provided with an adj ustable slide, K", whichregulates the amount of seed which the said cup will hold, andconsequently the amount of seed fed through the d rill-tooth into eachhill. A brush, I2, is secured in each seed box, as shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings, in such a position that the seed-cup of the feeddiskpasses immediately beneath the same, and in contact therewith, as itleaves the neck ofthe seed-box, so that in case the seed-cup K is sofull that the half of a kernel or grain projects above the face of theperiphery of the feed-disk it will come in contact with the brush I",which will yield sufficiently to prevent the said protruding grain trombecoming broken in half, which would occur if the said brush were notemployed.

The lower end ot' the neck of each seedbox is connected by means of theusual flexible tube, L, with the upper end of a drill-tooth, M, thelower end of which is cast with the rearwardlyprojecting side wings, MM', the object of this arrangement being that when the seed is droppedthrough the tooth into the furrow' the said wings will prevent the earthfrom rolling back into the furrow with the grain, giving time for thegrain to fall to the bottom of the furrow before the earthv enters thesame. Near the upper end of the drilltooth and to the side thereof ispivotally secured a lever, N, carrying at its lower end the pivotedslide N,which extends laterally across the opening in thelower end ofthe drill-tooth and controls the discharge of the grain from the same.To Athe upper end of this lever` above its pivotal point, is pivoted thelower end of a second lever, O, which is pivoted adjustably to the sideof the seedbox, asshown, at a point above the operating-shaft G. Eachofthe feeddisks K is provided on its inner side with aninwardly-projecting pin or stud, lo, which is so arranged on the innerface of the said disk with relation to the seed-cup in the same that amoment after the seed-cup discharges its contents down into thedrill-tooth the said pin or stud will strike against the rear edge ofthe upper lever, O, thereby drawing back the slide N and permitting theseed to enter the furrow.

lt will be seen that by arranging the levers N and O in the manner shownand described that the slightest touch ofthe pin k will serve toinstantaneously operate the slide N', asuitable spring, N2, serving tothrow thesaid slide back into its closed position. The pivot-pin n,which holds the slide N', passes through a transverse slot, n', in thelower end of the le* ver N, for the purpose which will be hereinafterdescribed.

Immediately in frontof theaxle,and extending somewhat over the same oneach side of the machine, are secured adjustably the fertilizerreceptacles or boxes P P, being supported by the adjustable bracketsp p,which may be adjusted laterally, so as to increase or lessen thedistance between the fertilizer-receptacles when the seed-boxes areadjusted as before described. In the lower end of the neck of each ofthe receptacles P P is mounted in a horizontal plane a feed-disk, P',having feed-openings P2, the size of which are regu lated by adj uslableslides P, (see Fig. 2,) the said feed-disk being further 'provided witha downwardly-projecting central spindle, P, to the lower end of which issecured, by its central cross-piece, P, t-he annular toothed wheel P6.To the lever 0, a little below its pivotal point, is pivoted the rearend of an arm, Q, which is formed at about the center of its length withthe oblique slot Q', arranged as described` a pin, Q, passing throughthe upper end of the said inclined slot, so that when the lever O isswungr forward by the pin k, as before described, the slotted arm Q,moving on the pin Q2 will have its free end impelled both forward andupward, so as to engage with one of the teeth of the toothed wheel P'iand rotate the same for asulicient distance, to cause one of thefeed-openings P2 of the feed-disk P to register with thedischarge-opening in the bottom of the neck of thefertilizer-receptacle.

The neck of this receptacle is connected by a iiexible tube, r, with arigid discharge-tube, R, which is connected rigidly with or may be castwith the drill-tooth M, the opening in the IOS lower end of the saidrigid tube being controlled by a pivoted valve, R', which is operated bya lever, R2, pivotally connected at its rear end to the slide-operatinglevei` N of ,the drill-tooth. The pivot-pin of the seed-slide N works ina transverse slot in the lower end of this lever N as before stated, andthe object of this construction is that when the levers are operated bythe piu 7u the phosphate in the fertilizer-tube will be discharged ainoment before the seed-slide N is drawn back to discharge the seed intothe furrow, so that the phosphate is deposited upon t-hetop ofthe furrow an instant before the d ri ll-tooth reaches that spot, the lowerend of the d rili-tooth passing through the earth ofthe furrow to apoint immediately below the spot where the phosphate rests before theseed are discharged into the furrow. This construction and arrangementprevents the phosphate from mixing` with the seed in the furrow, whichwould be the caseif the two were discharged at the sa me time from theirrespective tubes.

The forward end of the rigid fertilizer-tube R, which is rigidlyconnected tothe d rill-tooth, is supported movably from the frame A bymeans of the arms or hangers S, pivotally secured at their upper ends inan adjustable bracket, S', secured adjustably to the front cross-pieceof the main frame A, while each drill-tooth is connected by means of asuitable chain or other exible connection, S2, to the transverse shaft Din the rear portion of the frame A, so that by drawing back thehandlever C, which rotates the said shaft, as before described, thedrill-teeth will be lifted out of the furrow, to enable the machine totnrn at the end of a row, or when going from place to place.

Across the front of the main frame Ais su pported in suitable bearings ashaft, T, to the outer ends of which are centrally pivoted the castingsU U, having the slots U', through which the ends of the shaft T enter,and being also formed with the vertical slightlycurved slots U2, andhaving the set screw U3, to secure the said castings in their adjustedpositions, in the manner and for the purpose which will be hereinafterdescribed. The outer end or portion of each casting is formed with atransverse aperture, U, in which is secured the inner end of one of thetwo auxiliary markers and hill-indicators, the operation of which willbe now described. These auxiliary markers are of, such a length that thedistance between the lower free end of each marker and the drill-toothnearest to it is exactly the same as the space between the drill-teeth,and consequently the space between the rows The free downwardlyextendingends of the said markers also extend rearwardly, so that when theoperative ends of the said markers are resting upon the ground they willbe in a straight line with the two drill teeth. Now, when the niachineis being driven along through the field, straddling the mark last madeby the rear reversible marker, as before described, the seeddrill teethwill be planting in two of the furrowsl while the auxiliary marker,which is toward that side of the field which has been already planted,will run in a furrow the hills of which have been planted, and thefurrow closed by the grooved rollers V V, which are pivotally connectedby means of the springarms V V/ to the frame A back of and in line withthe drill-teeth, the said spring-arms being further provided immediatelyabove the rollers with the transverse bar V2, upon which the weights Vmay be placed, as desired, so as to regulate the pressure of the rollers(the peripheries of which are formed with an annular coneavegroove, V",as shown) upon the furrow.

To the shaft T, at about its center, is pivotally connected the forwardend of a rod, T, the rear end of which moves in a suitable bearing,while the central part of the said rod,

which extends partially around the operative shaft G, is bent or curved`as shown.` Upon the center of the shaft G is rigidly mounted a toothedwheel, G", having` the pin G2 inserted in one of its sides, the said pinbeing so arranged with reference to the pins in the feeddisks of theseed boxes, already described... that when the said pins come in contactwith the levers N and O, and thereby discharge, first, the phosphate andthen the seed into the furrow, the pin G2 will operate to raise the endsof the auxiliary markers W W from contact with the ground, by strikingagainst the rear curved portion of the rod T and forcing the said rodbackward, when, as will be readily understood, the shaft T will beturned sufficient-ly to elevate the operative ends of the markers V vVfrom the ground, the markers falling back by their own weight as soon asthe pin G`l ceases to bear against the curved portion of the rod T asthe shaft G continues to rotate. yThe effect produced by this operationis as follows: The end of the marker which is running in the furrowwhich has not yet been planted will of course leave a distinct niark aslong asit is in contact with the ground-that is toV say, between thehills; but when the seed is discharged into the furrow, which, as beforestated, is done at distances apart oi four feet each way, the markerwill be lilted from thel ground, so as to leave a break or unmarked spotin the line, which will he in direct line with the hills alreadyplanted, and will'serve to indicate where the next row of hills is to bemade. The rod T is connected to the hand-'lever C by means of a link,T2, so that by drawing back the said lever the auxiliary markers orhill-indicators will be raised clear of the ground to permit of theuuu-bine turning at the end of a row orin going from place to place,

As before stated, the distance between the drill-teeth and between eachof the hill-indicators and the nearest drill-tooth is usually four feet;but when it is desired to plant the rows nearer together, and theadjustable seed- ICO IIO

' through the lower ends of the drill teeth, the

forward ends of the indicator-rods are formed with a series ofapertures, W XV', to admit of their backward and forward adjustment inthe castings U U, where they are retained in their adjusted positions bythe vertical pins W2 W", the set-screws U being tightened when thecastings U have been adjusted.

A hand-lever, X, is pivoted to the central crosspiece of the frame A,having pivotally connected to its lower end the catch X', adapted toengage with the inclined teeth of the wheel G when the said lever isdrawn back, the object of this arrangement being that if when themachine has been turned at the end of aV row and is about to start alonganother row, it is found that the seed will not be discharged at theright points-that is, where the hills are indicated by the marker W-theshaft G may be turned by the lever X until the feeddisks of theseed-boxes are in the proper positions to discharge at the hillsindicated.

When it is desired to regulate the distance apart at which the seed isdischarged into the furrow,the cog-wheel or pinion F may be replaced bya wheel having a different number of teeth from the pinion here shown,and by making the said teeth of a greater length than those of thepinion here shown, they will intermesh evenly with the teeth E', which,as heretofore stated, are made rather long and slender, so that the longteeth of the pinion having the least number of teeth may extend fartherbetween the teeth E' than the shorter teeth of the pinion having agreater number of teeth, so that both pinions will mesh evenly with theteeth E'. 'i u Y Y indicate cultivator attachments, which may be readilysecured to the frameA in the manner which will be hereinafter described.An adjustable yoke, Z, consisting of the two halves or sections, Z' Z,which are adjustably connected by the setserew Z, as shown, to admit ofthe downwardly-projecting legs of the said yoke being brought closertogether or farther apart when it is desired to regulate the distancebetween the cultivator attachments, is secured to the frame A at aboutthe center of the same by suspending it from the hooks a* a. Thecultivator-beams Y are provided with the shovels Y', the construction ofwhich forms no part of my invention, the said beams being formed attheir forward ends with the vertical apertures Y2, to adapt them to besecured adjustably to the lower ends of downwardlyprojecting arms orhangers Y, which are sccurcd adj ustably to the front cross-piece of theframe A, while toward the rear ends of the beams Y are formed eyesthrough which pass the legs of the adjustable yoke Z. The lower ends ofthe hangers Y are provided with the eyes Y5, which are connected to thedoubletree A5 by the connecting-rods Y, having the staples or eyes Yi,to permit of the singletrees AT being connected thereto, as shown,instead of to the double-tree itself, this arrangement th rowing thedraft lower down and taking the weight off of the horses necks. To aboutthe center of the cultivator-beams are pivoted the forward ends offoot-levers Y, which pass over the hooks A", and by pressing with thefoot upon the free ends ot' which thecultivator-beams may be raised, soas to lift the shovels 'thereof from contact with the ground. The

beams may be secured in their elevated positions by catching the rearportion of the levers under the hooks y on the sides of the said beams.y

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my improvedcorn-planter will be readily understood, without requiring furtherexplanation.

It will be seen that my invention is comparatively simple inconstruction and at the same time is exceedingly efficient in its operation. By its use the distance apart at which the hills are planted (eachway) is regulated with great accuracy. By drawing back the one lever allofthe operative portions of the planter are thrown out of gear andremoved from con tact with the ground, so as to permit of the machineturning easily at the end of a row, or passing from place to place.

The cultivator attachments are designed to be sold with the planter, ata small cost, and can be readily attached thereto in operative position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-.

l. As an improvementincorn-planters, the fertilizer-receptacles arrangedin advance of the seed-boxes, and having journaled in their lower endsthe seed-disks connected by a central spindle with the toothed ringsbelow the said feed-disks, the operative arms pivoted to the seed-slidelevers and having each the inclined slot working on a fixed pin, and thedischarge-tubes arranged below the said fertilizer-receptacles inadvance of the drillteeth and having each a valve near its lower end,and means for opening the said valves an instant before the valves ofthe drill-teeth are opened, all constructed and arranged in the mannerand for the purpose herein shown and described.

2. As an improvement in corn-planters,the

IlC

combination, with the drill-teeth, arranged as at its lower end with avalve connected by a pivoted lever with the lower lever ofthecorresponding drill-tooth, all arranged to operate in the manner and forthe purpose herein shown and set forth.

3. As an improvement in corn-planters, the combination, with thedrill-teeth arranged adj ustably, as described, ofthe reversible markerpivotally secured at the rear of the main frame :1nd pivotally connectedto a handlever for raising the same from contact with the ground, thetransverse shaft supported movably in the forward portion of the mainframe and carrying at its ends the laterally and rearwardly adjustablehill indicators. and the curved rod connecting the said shaft withthehand-lever and adapted to be operated by a pin projecting from the sideofthe central toothed wheel mounted rigidly on the transverse shaftwhich carries the feed-disks, substantially as described, for .thepurpose set forth.

4. As an improvement in cornplanters,the combination of the adjustableseed-boxes ar ranged as described, the feed-disks mounted rigidly uponthe transverse operating-shaft which is rotated by the drive-wheel,having each an inwardly-projecting operating-pin and formed in itsperiphery with a seed-cup having the adjustable slide, the drill-teeth,arranged as described, and having each near their lower end thespring-actuated slide, the operating-levers for the said slides, thelower one of which is formed at its lower end with a transverse slot, inwhich the pivot-pin of the said slide Works, while to the upper ispivotrfd the arm which operates the feed disks of thefertilizer-receptacles, the adjustable fertilizer-receptacles, arrangedas described, and having the feed-disks adapted to be rotated by thesaid arms, and the fertilizer dischargetubes having each its lower endcontrolled by a valve connected by a suitable lever to the lowerseed-slide lever, all constructed, combined, and arranged in the mannerand for the purpose herein shown and described. i

5. The combination, with the transverse shaft supported movably in theforward part of the main frame and mechanism for partially rotating thesame at the moment when the seed is droppedinto the furrow, of theherein-described adjustable blocks centrally pivoted upon the ends ofthe said movable shaft and provided near their inner ends with thecurved vertical slots, and the set-screws working in the same and havingnear their outer ends a horizontal aperture for the inner ends of theadjustable hill-indicators, and a set-screw for securing the indicatorsin their adjusted positions in the said horizontal aperture, and theadjustable hill-indicators curved, as described, and having theirforward ends provided with a series of perforations, for the purposespecified.

6. The combination, with the ymain frame, of the laterally-adjustableseed-boxes, fertilizer-receptacles, and furrow-eoverers, all constructedand arranged to be adjusted laterally, in the manner and for the purposeherein shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own l have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, GEORGE It. HAYES.

Witnesses: j

WM. HELMICK, W M. S. J oHNsoN.

